Why we're working there

With 42% of its population living below the poverty line, Kenya is one of the most unequal countries in Southern Africa. In the communities where the Anglican Development Services of Mount Kenya East (ADSMKE) work, access to basic services are largely non-existent. Poor housing, little or no food, unclean water, lack of education and high risk of disease are the norm.

These problems can best be addressed when local communities take ownership of change and lift themselves out of poverty. ADSMKE are working hard across five of the poorest districts in Kenya to help them achieve this.

We are working with ADSMKE to mobilise, equip and support them to bring continue bringing holistic transformation across Kenya.

How churches change communities

ADSMKE works through a process called Church and Community Mobilisation (CCM). The CCM approach helps church leaders and their congregations work together with community members to bring about positive changes for the whole community. It is a process that brings hope, empowerment and transformation, and is based on over twenty years of experience of working throughout Africa and Asia.

CCM is about bringing energy and excitement to churches and communities concerning the positive changes they can make for themselves. It seeks to build on the resources they have, and encourages the discovery of new skills and expertise within a community.

Far too often, development projects are dependent on injections of outside aid and often leave individuals and communities worse off. The CCM approach seeks to do the opposite: inspiring and equipping local people with a vision for determining their own future with their own resources.

HOW THE CCM PROCESS WORKS

The CCM project works, not by ADSMKE turning up and telling the church what to do to address the needs that ADSMKE and the church can see; but rather it works by helping the church to dialogue with their community to work out what they together want to change first.

It is not a prescriptive process, it’s participative, holistic, community driven and community led. Tearfund supports ADSMKE to provide the expertise and training in the areas that the church and community want to work in, using tools that have proved transformational over the years.

Each church chooses a volunteer, or ‘disciple’, who is trained by ADSMKE to lead the church and the community through Bible studies. This is a critical part of the process which aims to teach people that God has given each person great worth, and has provided them with the resources they need to lift themselves out of poverty. People are then challenged to use those resources, no matter how small to begin with, to generate income that will start to turn their lives around.

Alongside this, the church and community work together to develop solutions for the needs they have prioritised from across their community. Some examples might be tackling hunger, water or education, or supporting those stigmatised, living with or affected by HIV.

Project impact

Through ADSMKE’s work and with your support, 58 communities will be trained to plan and implement development projects with their local church to address their needs.

3,603 church and community leaders will be equipped with the skills to empower their local communities to address their needs by coming up with long term sustainable solutions.

Improved health & incomes, access to education, increasing church attendance, unity & tithing, higher self-esteem, inclusion and community cohesion are just some of the amazing things that happen in the communities where CCM is introduced.

We use cookies to ensure we give you the best experience on our website. To change your preferences, see our Cookie Policy. Just click 'Accept Cookies' to indicate you agree to the use of cookies on your device.